Charmed: Ultimatum
by Western Sky
Summary: The Charmed Ones fulfilled their destiny to vanquish the Source of All Evil, and then they engaged in their fight against the Ultimate Power. But as they say, all good things come in threes, and the sisters still have one more destiny to carry out...
1. Prologue

**Title: **Charmed: Ultimatum  
**Subtitle: **"Being forever charmed isn't as easy as it seems."  
**Author: **Western Sky  
**Summary: **The Charmed Ones fulfilled their primary destiny to vanquish the Source of All Evil. Then they engaged in their second destiny to fight the Ultimate Power. But as they say, all good things come in threes, and the sisters still have one more destiny to carry out...

The Ultimate Battle has come and gone, and normality has finally resumed at the Halliwell Manor. But six months later, recent times have taken their toll on the Charmed Ones and some serious downtime is in order – and it seems the Underworld has decided to remain on the down low too.

But despite the growing separation between Piper (Holly Marie Combs), Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) and Paige (Rose McGowan), an unusual occurrence draws the sisters back together, and all of a sudden the Power of Three is back to their old witchy ways once again.

So, shut your Book of Shadows, orb on over and come read a spell in one final journey with the Power of Three as they complete their last destiny and learn exactly why they truly are forever charmed.

**Disclaimer: **"CHARMED", "The Charmed Ones" and other related entities are owned, (TM) and (c) by CONSTANCE M. BURGE, AARON SPELLING Television Inc (A Paramount/Viacom Co.) and WB (AOL Time Warner Company). All rights reserved. This story is purely fan fiction and was made for entertainment and for amusement purposes only. The story was created by its author but is based on the characters, locations and the show produced by the writers of "CHARMED". All similarities between new storylines with current fan fictions or other shows are entirely coincidental. There is absolutely no ninth season; I am simply creating up my own storylines and episodes. So, enjoy and please take the time to read and review! Thanks.

* * *

**Chapter ****1: **Prologue

* * *

Salem, Massachusetts. 1692.

The woman slipped on the wet mud under her bare feet as two men in iron masks jerked her through the throng of people. Hundreds of villagers had gathered in the town's center to witness the woman – or _witch_, as the townspeople had preferred to call her – get burned alive. The woman felt the urge to panic or fight back at these people; after all, she knew very well that her hours left alive were numbered, but something inside of her remained calm. Albeit the cries of hatred from the surrounding citizens, she stayed silent and did as she was told.

"We have gathered to restore mortality." A booming voice rang out above the noisy crowd. "We are here to witness the burning of a witch!"

Although the woman was still being dragged through the mob and the sound of shouting was all that filled her ears, she still recognized the loud voice from the man on the neighboring podium.

"Today," the man continued loudly, "we rid the world of Melinda Warren!"

As the villagers erupted in cheers, Melinda Warren caught sight of the man; Hugh Montgomery, positioned atop an elevation with his arms outstretched toward the township. His smug expression made Melinda recoil in disgust.

Melinda, whose hair had gone dirty and clothes had become nothing but loin cloth due to days spent in prison, had been tried and convicted of witchcraft. Her ex-boyfriend Matthew Tate betrayed and sentenced her to death following the exposure of her magical abilities, and for fear that her daughter would be tried as well, Melinda decided to surrender to the sentencing. Matthew was actually a warlock throughout his relationship with Melinda, and continued to feed off of her three dominant powers until she was exposed. Melinda had cursed him to spend eternity inside a locket, but now, even though she'd managed to banish her betraying ex-partner, she was still being condemned to death – the first of many witch trials to come.

As Melinda stepped up onto the small platform where a post and pile of straw were sited, she remained unusually relaxed. The two men holding her quickly released their grip and Melinda's eyes instantly glossed over, staring out at the aggressive onlookers and then at the conceited, arrogant face of Hugh Montgomery – her executioner. Melinda suddenly felt herself being dragged closer to the stake and the world suddenly became a blur. The muffled sound of yelling and applause from the mob was blocked out as the good witch felt herself being tied to the pole, no mercy being taken in how tight the rope was around her hands. Melinda could feel blood seeping from her arms where the rope had been pulled too tight. Then, Hugh launched a flaming torch at her face, slowly waving it in front of her, as if teasing her with it.

"Well, _witch_," Hugh spat, "any last words before you come face-to-face with the devil incarnate?"

And, for the first time in days, Melinda spoke.

"You may kill me."

Hugh seemed surprised, and judging by the sudden hush by the townspeople so were they. Hugh hesitated before motioning the torch at the dry haystack below the good witch's feet.

"But you cannot kill my kind." Melinda spoke again just before the flame came into contact with the straw. Her voice didn't quiver nor shake. She kept composed, as if the fact she was about to die didn't bother her. "With each generation the Warren witches will grow stronger and stronger until, at last, three sisters will arrive. Together, these three sisters will be the most powerful witches the world has ever known."

Confusion and anxiety immediately grew among the village. If what Melinda was saying was true then there must be more witches out there. The town vowed to not stop hunting and killing suspects until every last possible witch was gone.

Hugh breathed angrily as he lowered his fiery torch again. He wasn't going to allow anymore words to be said. To him, she was a witch, which meant she didn't deserve to speak at all.

Melinda knew this was it, and she took one last breath before shouting her final words.

"They wi--" She stopped to yelp like a dog; the flames had come into contact with her bare legs, and the pain was excruciating. Melinda struggled to say any more. As the flames completely engulfed her lower body she forced the final, pain-filled words to leave her lips.

"They -- will -- be -- the -- Charmed -- Ones!"

Melinda immediately released an agonizing scream as fire ravaged and burned her. The mother of one, this loving person, this _good_ witch and the honorary ancestor of the future Charmed Ones, died a cruel and unfortunate death.

But this was only the beginning.

* * *

**Author's Note:**From the next chapter onward we enter the lives of the Charmed Ones in the months following the series finale "Forever Charmed". All comments, criticism and reviews are seriously appreciated, and they help to keep me motivated to write more. Feel free to speculate on what you think could happen, post any remarks or comment on your favorite bits and pieces, etc.

I have already planned out the majority of the story (this was originally going to be a virtual season nine continuation, but I have since decided to rework all my planned episodes into one big story, so you can expect quite a fair few chapters in the near future) and I already know exactly where this storyline is headed.

I would like to say I'll be writing on this as much as possible, but I do have a busy life at the moment too so that will be in the way a little bit, but I promise to keep all this going for as long as possible. Even if I haven't updated in a while, I shan't be far away. So, enjoy... and stay charmed.


	2. Charmed Again

**Chapter ****2: **Charmed Again

* * *

San Francisco, USA. 2006.

On what had eventuated as a sunny autumn day, the beautiful Victorian mansion – otherwise known as Halliwell Manor – shone against the sun's glare in Prescott Street. The Halliwell Manor; once home to four generations of Halliwell's, and currently occupied by Melinda Warren's very own prophetic Charmed Ones. It had seen its fair share of magic, supernatural activity, demons, warlocks, spells and charm over the last nine years, but following the Ultimate Battle just six months prior, a lot had settled in the lives of Piper and Phoebe Halliwell and their half-sister Paige Matthews – whom, together, made up the Charmed Ones; the Power of Three.

"Never forgetting her knowledge of witchcraft," Piper read aloud to her two sons; the ancient Book of Shadows was open to a page about Melinda Warren's life, "she possessed three special powers; the first, telekinesis; the second, clairvoyance; her third power, to stop time."

The oldest Halliwell sibling smiled sweetly at the words on the page, the bold calligraphy stood out on the parchment as if new, despite its old age. "And even though she died horribly," Piper continued, "her power lives in every Warren witch's heart. It will be a joyous day when the Charmed Ones are begotten."

"Ithinat you, Mommy?" Wyatt – Piper's eldest son – questioned about the Charmed Ones. She laughed.

"Not only me, sweetie. Your Aunt Phoebe and Auntie Paige too."

Wyatt's big brown eyes widened at the prospect.

Since the Ultimate Battle, Piper and her sisters had chosen to live as demon-lite as possible nowadays, which meant the three good witches had slowly gone their separate ways in the last few months. Piper, whose resentment at being charmed had gradually decreased, now spent more time with her family and had become more open to teaching and introducing the world of witchcraft to her young sons, with the help of Leo. This came atop Phoebe's continual commitment to her advice column at the Bay Mirror, whilst her partner-slash-Cupid Coop had moved into the condo with her. Paige had managed to keep on top of her Whitelighter responsibilities, as well as battling being a witch, as well as a wife to Henry, after finally deciding to settle into his downtown apartment with him. Most unusually though, is that although demons have still had the tendency to show up every now and then, the flow has been significantly less than usual, as if the Underworld has considered a break from fighting just as much as the Charmed Ones have – not that anybody's complaining about it.

"Anyway," Piper heaved as she lifted the weight of the Book of Shadows off her lap, "I think that's enough reading for one day. How about I whip us up some lunch?"

"PB and J?" Toddler Chris squeaked.

"Three peanut butter and jelly sandwiches coming right up!" Piper humorously clicked her fingers above her head, much to the glee of her young boys.

The woman made her way into the kitchen, where the vibrant sunlight beamed through the stained glass windows, casting an orange tinge to the white cabinets and tile. She started for the cupboards and then began to remove ingredients from the refrigerator. Behind her, a mass of bright blue and white lights swirled into the room from above. These tiny orbs spun around until Paige materialized from within.

"Ooh, I'll have whatever you're having. I'm starved!"

Piper jumped with fright, a small scream escaping her. "_Paige_! What have I told you about orbing in like that! You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry," Paige pouted her lips, placing a hand on her hip. "I just thought I'd come visit my sister on this _fine_ autumn day." Her auburn hair bounced above her shoulders; its color was seemingly on a transition back into bright red – a shade of hair color that Paige had already once worn a few years prior.

"Yeah, well, maybe warn me next time," Piper murmured in jest. "So, what's up?"

"Oh, nothing much," the youngest member of the Charmed Ones – and newlywed – sighed, "I'd like to say that things have been super, but ever since I moved into the apartment with Henry it's all just been busy-busy and go do this, go do that." She waved a hand in front of her face. "But I guess that's the routine of marriage once the honeymoon's all over, huh?"

"Eh, it'll pass." Piper started to spread peanut butter on the slices of bread.

"But does every marriage consist of a witch-Whitelighter-wife combination? And that's just me." Paige cracked a smile. "And I bet I can think of another 'W' word that wraps up Henry's recent behavior quite nicely too."

Piper frowned. "Weird?"

"Less harsh than what I was going for, but it'll do."

Piper smirked. "Paige, it's just a phase. He's probably adjusting. It's going to take a little while before he gets used to the idea of being married to a witch. Trust me, he'll be fine, but you can't blame him for being a little on edge, especially with how fast everything was put on him. I mean, he met you, got engaged, married and then nearly lost you, all in just a few weeks. Talk about fast-paced."

"Yeah, you're probably right. But hey, it's been six months since --"

"But hey nothing, missy," Piper pointed a finger, "_trust me_, it'll be fine." She couldn't help but laugh. "We've encountered minimum demons since the Ultimate Battle and I'd like to keep it that way. In our lives, it's a good thing when marital issues are the worst of our problems." She wiped her hands and then placed the food onto plates. "Okay, now help me get these sandwiches to the boys." She took one tray and left the kitchen, leaving Paige to grab the other.

"Hey," Paige suddenly whined as she looked at the sandwich, "where's mine?"

[x]

"...and that is what will be achieved. From your letter, Really Unsure, I believe your actions will affect the way your boyfriend takes the news and..."

Phoebe's eyes scanned the words on her laptop. The task of reading the size 10 font on her word processor was beginning to make her eyelids heavy, her tiredness increasing with each sentence. She groaned as she read the above line and then hit the backspace key, erasing it.

"Everything okay, honey?" A voice emerged from the neighboring bedroom of her condo. Coop, handsome and masculine, appeared in the doorway. "I heard you groan."

"It's nothing," Phoebe sighed frustratingly, removing the glasses from her eyes. "I have to get this column in by deadline tonight but I just can't get my head around it."

Coop walked toward Phoebe, who was sitting on the lounge with the laptop propped up on her knees. "What's it about?"

"Well," Phoebe said with a faux cheer in her voice, "Really Unsure is pregnant, and she's worried about how her boyfriend will take the news."

"I see." Coop pondered for a moment. "Tell her to get a cat."

Phoebe looked at Coop, giving him a bizarre expression.

"If she gets a cat, it might be a good way of easing the boyfriend into the idea of having a baby," Coop explained, "y'know, something they can both take care of."

Phoebe stared at him for a moment. "Hmm, I knew I loved you for a reason."

He pecked her on the lips.

"Good. You can help me with Hopelessly Harried, Desperately Worried, Guilt Complex and Feeling Bad too once I'm done," Phoebe teased.

Coop smiled and made his way to the armchair beside his girlfriend. Even though the pair shared a rocky start to their relationship, it had only now blossomed and had increasingly grown into something deeper. Their respective connections to love only added to that bond.

"I just can't believe how great I've felt since the Ultimate Battle," Phoebe suddenly revealed. "I mean, look at me, I'm sitting here working on my column, without having to worry about anything else. I haven't had this much free time in years. The last time I fought a demon was two weeks ago while putting out the washing, and it didn't even bother me." She stopped to think. "It's been great to kinda feel _normal_ again, y'know?"

"Well, you deserve it. It's about time you had a break."

Phoebe shared a smile. "It sure is."

[x]

Back at the Manor, Piper and Paige watched on as Wyatt and Chris played with their toys and ate their sandwiches. In the meantime however, the silence broke upstairs in the attic on the third floor. This was the room that permanently housed the Book of Shadows, and was location to many of the past battles and demonic vanquishes by the Charmed Ones over the last eight years.

But now, however, a portal suddenly erupted from the surface of a nearby wall. It glowed an intense shade of blue and magically pushed all the surrounding furniture away from it, leaving a large space in its forefront. Loud, crashing noises could be heard from inside the magical gateway, which then alerted the two sisters downstairs.

"What was that?" Paige said apprehensively.

"It sounds like something we'd have heard a few months ago, not something that should happen now." A hint of cynicism was kept in Piper's voice. She immediately slapped Paige on the wrist. "I knew our conversation in the kitchen would jinx it!"

Paige's head dropped. She mouthed an "ow".

Piper, on the other hand, eyed the ceiling and grinded her teeth. "What now?"

* * *

**Author's Note: **Okay, so the story is only just beginning. As mentioned in the previous chapter, I have already planned the entire storyline, so I know exactly where I'm headed; I just can't wait to actually get to the main plot. But, of-course, things must be set up first, and this is what I'm doing; getting the story up and running so the real action can take place soon.

Special thanks to **allalongthewatchtower**, **traci26** and **PhoebeColeTurnerHalliwell **for the reviews. Keep them coming, guys.

Also, for those unaware, I set up a trailer for my fan fiction on YouTube. If you're interested in seeing little hints about various details that will later be included in this story, check the video out at YouTube. Search for "Charmed: Ultimatum - Trailer - Fan Fiction".


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